The Tarot Reader's New Year Promise (Except)The sitting room felt much smaller with the tall mercenary sitting there, sipping tea. He was excruciatingly polite and when he saw the Tarot cards, he bowed to her grandmother. “I had heard that you have the Sight.” “My granddaughter was about to do a reading for the new year,” said Grandma Bella. Behind the Elf mercenary’s back, Tia waved her hands to nix that. She was embarrassed enough trying to do a reading in front of Grandma Bella. Tia definitely wasn’t up to a public reading in front of a genuine magical warrior, especially one so gorgeous that she kept forgetting to breathe. “You haven’t told us your name,” Tia said. “You’ve heard of my grandmother, Bella, and my name is Tia. You are?” “Delson,” he said. Grandma Bella set up straight in her chair and looked at him sharply. “That’s an unusual name.” “It’s common among our people,” he said. “Not that common.” They stared at each other for a moment, locked into some silent battle. And then Grandma Bella lowered her eyes and said to Tia, “Let’s go get our guest something to eat. I sensed that he was hungry.” Anything was better than doing a Tarot reading in front of Delson. In the small kitchenette, Tia hissed at her grandmother, “Do you know him?” “I have never met him before,” said Grandma Bella. “Darling, I hate to do this to you, but I am exhausted. Would you mind taking him some food and doing the reading for him? I don’t have the energy.” Instantly contrite, Tia hugged her grandmother. “You go on to bed, Grandma.” It would mean being alone with the handsome stranger, but it would also mean Grandma Bella couldn’t pressure her to do the Tarot reading. Tia doubted very much that Delson actually wanted to hear anything she had to say. * * * When Tia returned to the dining room, Delson was seated expectantly at the reading table. Just as Tia had suspected, he wasn’t happy when he found out that her grandmother would not be doing the reading tonight. However, to her dismay, he insisted that she do the reading in Grandma Bella’s place, even though he didn’t bother to hide his disdain for her as a substitute. “You’re a half-blood, aren’t you?” he asked insultingly. “I doubt you have enough magic to truly summon a prophecy for the future. But since your grandmother refuses to help me, I suppose I must take what I can get. I spoke to a very powerful Witch in Gambia last week, and she told me something important would happen this year that would not only involve me but the entire arcane community. However, she wouldn’t give me any details. She told me I had to come here and seek out the Tarot reader. Then I would learn what I needed to know.” “But she must’ve meant my grandmother.” “Obviously. Your grandmother does not want me to know what is going to happen either. Just like the Witch in Gambia, she is too afraid of the Magician.” “Grandma Bella isn’t afraid of anyone.” “There’s no shame in it. Everyone is afraid of the Magician.” “Even you?” she challenged teasingly. “I have more to fear from him than most. He murdered my parents.” Tia gasped. “Are you serious? I had no idea... I’m so sorry... How...?” “He didn’t cast the spell himself, but he enabled the assassin who murdered them, which amounts to the same thing. He murdered my aunt as well, and many others.” She felt terrible about her teasing now. “I’m so sorry. I had no idea…” “He is an evil man, and very powerful and, if I am correct, he is in league with the Court of Swords. Do the reading, Half-Elf.” “I’m not a Half-Elf,” she sniffed, stung by his scorn, despite her resolve to not care what he thought of her. He looked surprised. “I apologize if I mistook you. It’s not just your ears, but your aura…” “I am a Quarter-Elf.” “Brilliant,“ he muttered. “If it matters that much to you,” she said, steaming, “I shouldn’t waste both our time…” “Do the reading.” “Fine. But don’t blame me if it sucks.”
READ MORE | 
Comments